Let's Dig Deep Together!!

When I first began my blog, it was with the desire to be able to continue dialogue with the ladies from city-wide Bible Study and Ladies Sunday School class. Consequently I have been considering how the blog could be written in a way that lends itself to more discussion and less blogging on my part. As I prayed about this, the idea came to me to make it more like "On Eagles Wings," selecting a Scripture to discuss asking the three questions:

    1. What does the Scripture say
    2. What does the Scripture mean

    3. What does the Scripture mean to me personally

The first Scriptures that came to mind were John 2:29-30.  I read these during my quiet time last week and immediately three questions jumped off the page. I thought at that time, "I need to take these Scriptures apart and apply them to my life!" What a more perfect way to do this then together with all of you!!

The setting of these scriptures is when John the Baptist was baptizing men and his disciples and the Jews came to him saying, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified - behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him."      John 2:26


John answered and said "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. John 2:27 "You bear witness, that I said, "I am not the Christ," but "I have been sent before Him."     John 2:28

 The Scriptures I would like to discuss are the next two when John the Baptist continues:

 "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice.  Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.    John 2:29

"He must increase, but I must decrease."     John 2:30

   Let's take them apart:

      1. What does the Scripture say?
              "He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice.  Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.  John 2:29

       2. What does the Scripture mean?
              "He who has the bride (the church) is the bridegroom (Christ), -so Christ has His people the church, but the friend (could be the church or could be John referring to himself as Christ's friend) of the bridegroom (Christ), who stands and hears Him (so the church hears Christ as He speaks) rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice (they know His voice).
             
             Therefore this joy of mine if fulfilled (John the Baptist knew what he had been sent to do)
                    For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
                      "The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
                      "Make straight the way of the Lord."
                                                                         John 1:23
             His joy was complete because he had accomplished his purpose.
                 
     3. What does the Scripture mean to me personally? 
                  The first lesson that came to my mind was when John called himself a friend of Jesus,  I had to ask myself, "Could I be considered a friend of Jesus".  John describes the friend as someone who stands and hears him (Christ).

                  Do I listen when Christ speaks? If not - why not?"
                  Could it be I am not listening for His voice through His Scriptures?
                  Could it be I read them and walk away immediately forgetting what I 
                  read?  
                  
 This is why memorization of Scripture is so important!  In memorizing Scripture we must thoroughly think about what the Word says, digesting it into our being, that it may become part of who we are!

                   The second lesson that came to mind was when John said he rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice.  I had to ask myself, "Do I know Chirst's voice when He speaks? If not - not why?".  Could it be I don't spend enough time with Christ to recognize His voice?  I think of friends who are dear to me, who when they call me on the phone and say "hi" I know immediately who it is by the sound of their voice.  I know their voice!!  Why is it I know their voice?  It is because I spend time with them and have developed a close friendship with them.  Do I spend enough time with Christ to get to know His voice, to develop a close friendship with him?
               
           1.  What does the Scripture say: 
                    "He must increase, but I must decrease."  John 2:30

           2.  What does the Scripture mean? 
                     This is quite simple to understand - hard to do!!  Christ must be
                     above all, everything must be about Him!
                 
            3. What does the Scripture mean to me personally? 
                    The third lesson  that came to my mind was I must decrease, not to do things to elevate myself, but only to elevate Christ!  My life should be about Christ living in me, not about me making a life for myself.  It should always be "His will be done," not my will be done!  I had to ask myself, "When do I put myself above Christ?  Do I do all that I do with the right ambition, to lift up Christ, or do I do somethings to be lifted up in other's eyes, to build up my reputation?  Do I always pray before I do something, or do I sometimes do what I want to do, knowing if I asked Christ He would say no - and I want my way more than I want His will?" 
                 
                   Upon asking myself these questions my first thought was:
                         Search me, O God and know my heart;
                         Try me, and know my anxieties;
                         And see if there is any wicked way in me,
                         And lead me in the way everlasting.
                                                                     Psalm 139:23-24

            So how will my life be different because of the lessons I have gleaned from God's Holy Word?
               1. I will concentrate on listening for His voice when I read the Scriptures
               2. I will commit myself to memorizing Scripture - and stop making excuses
               3. I will spend as much time as I possibly can with Him, putting aside things that so easily take time from Him, that I know He calls me His friend because we are always together!!

        What a wonderful way to begin the New Year!!  Instead of New Year's resolutions, I have committed to a closer walk with My Father!!  It just doesn't get any better than that!!

          I would love to hear what you glean from these Scriptures!! One of my most favorite times was when we sat around a table and discussed Scriptures together. Even though we can't be together in person we can still share our thoughts with one another! Let's do it - let's dig deep together - and continue growing in God's Holy Word!!

          I love you all so much - and miss you so!!
                     


             

             






   
               


                   
                   
               
               
                     
             

"I Am the Vine"

   " I am the Vine, you are the branches."
    For months I have asked the Lord to teach me what this really means. I want to know how to be a branch. I want to know how to let Christ be the Vine. I wish it came naturally, it does not. I want to be the Vine. I want to be the one who decides what I will do with my life, be in control all my tomorrows. I want to know I am being used by God for His glory, that my life to counts for Him. What if I let Him have His way and He puts me on the shelf?

   Recently my life has taken such a drastic turn I can hardly keep up with it. I loved my life, it was more then I ever hoped it would be. Three times a week I had the privilege of leading a group of  ladies hungry to grow in the Word of God. We sat around a table discussing new Truths we had learned that week.  Then it happened. A three to five year retirement plan turned into a  three month plan. I was devastated. How could this happen? How could I give up our Bible Studies, our Ladies Sunday School Class? I was sure God had made a mistake.

   One day as I  was sitting on my front porch bemoaning the fact that I had to move out of our beautiful home, the one where we had raised our five children, suddenly I felt the Lord's presence. It was like He had come to sit down beside me.
   "Cyndy," He said gently, "What do you see across the street?"
    I had been looking at the tall majestic oak trees across the street, feeling sorry for myself that I wouldn't be able to sit and admire them once we moved.  "Trees," I quietly answered.
   "And what do you think is going to happen to these trees?" He asked.
     Because it was late September and fall was on the horizon I knew exactly what was going to happen. "They are going to lose their leaves," I answered.
    "And do you suppose they are crying and carrying on because they are afraid I won't put their leaves back on next spring?"
    "No," I timidly answered, ashamed of the fact that I was so upset.
    "So, do you think I would take your leaves and not put them back on?"
    "No, Lord, I know you will."
    "And what tree is the prettiest?" He continued.
    "The one with the red leaves," I replied.
    "So don't you get it?" He asked, continuing on before I could even answer. " You are about to enter the autumn of your life, and just like the tree with the red leaves this is going to be the prettiest time of your
life. Will you trust me?" 
      I was speechless. This was a lesson that could only come from God. He made the trees. He orchestrates the trees losing their leaves and them coming to life in the spring. If He would do that for the trees, what would He do for me, His child?
     At that moment a peace came over me that I couldn't explain. Nothing had changed. We were still moving. I was still giving up the two city-wide Bible Studies and Ladies Sunday School class, but my feeling of hopelessness instantly turned into to a peace that passes all understanding.  My despair was exchanged with anticipation for what He has ahead for me.
    " I am the Vine, you are the branches."  Once again my Heavenly Father had taken me by the hand and led me into a place of quiet assurance that I can trust Him as my Vine.

     What is it you want to know from the Lord? Have you asked Him to show you His Truth? He will, you know. All He asks is that we be willing to sit at His feet with a heart to obey. As we stay in His presence He quietly teaches us, molding us into His likeness, answering our questions, drawing us ever closer to Himself.

      I am learning to be the branch. Knowing that it is only through the Vine that I can bear much fruit, and that "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me," (Phil. 4:13)  I rejoice in the truth that letting Him have His way with my life is the only way I will find true fulfillment. I want to live my life for His Glory. He is the Vine, I am the branch. May He have His perfect way in my life!!

My Heart's Cry

 For the last several weeks I have been involved in a city-wide Bible Study called "Becoming a Vessel God Can Use" by Donna Partow.  In the study Donna teaches what it means to be emptied of self in order to be
filled up with God.

As I have thought about this Truth from the Word of God, it has  made me stop and think about my own life, how it would look different if I truly allowed the Lord to empty me of myself. All my life I have been a goal setter. For years my motto was "plan your work and work your plan,"" and that is what I have done. To be emptied of my own agenda is such a foreign concept.  The world  tells us to strive, achieve, become, and then we will be successful. To think now we are to be emptied of our own agenda, our own dreams, and what we have striven for to make us happy seems almost absurd. Yet, that is what the Word of God says. It even tells us that "apart from me (God) you can do nothing." John 15:5. The last time I checked the word "nothing" in the dictionary the definition was quite clear! It means just what it says - no thing!! Do you think God is telling us that without Him there is no thing we can do? How could that be?

As I considered the goals I have set over the course of my life - and yes even reached, I realized they have always left me feeling like they weren't enough. Maybe enough for the awards I received for the achievement, or the sense of pride I had in making a goal a reality, but as far as lasting value, they have always come up short and left me with the feeling "Is this all there is?  Is this what I worked so hard for?"

Then I started thinking about times in my life when the Lord has gone before me and opened doors for me to walk through. They have always been the times when what has been accomplished could have only come from God.  I am always left feeling like I could burst with amazement over what God has done through me, and know it had to be Him or it would have never happened.

When I compared the two scenarios I realized what He meant when He said "without me you can do nothing." He is telling us that without Him we can do nothing of eternal value.
      He is the One who
                        touches hearts
                              forgives sins
                                    saves souls
                                           reveals the Word of God
                                                    heals the brokenhearted
                                                          turns the ashes of our life into beauty
                                                                        reconciles broken relationships
                                                                                          loves us unconditionally

 Only what we allow Him to do through us is what will matter for eternity.  It is for His glory that we live. It is His will be done, not ours that has any eternal value.  It is God and God alone who deserves all praise.

To think He would allow me to have any part in His work on this earth at all is more than I can fathom. What a privilege we have been given to allow God to empty us of ourselves that He might fill us up!!

And I am left asking myself - "What is it I want my life to count for - eternal value or things of this world that I think are so important?" It is then my heart's cry becomes "empty me Lord, that I might be filled with You!"